Schumacher, who turned 41 on Jan. 3, said there was no reason he could not win an eighth drivers’ title. “I am 42 and so I said to myself why not I follow suit when I feel so confident to make a mark on rally circuits,” Abdullah said speaking to Arab News Yet another reason for Bakhashab to return to competitive driving circuits was the tempting offer to drive Toyota FJ Cruiser Proto provided by the main sponsor of the Hail Rally 2010, Abdul Latif Jameel Company Ltd. (ALJ)-Toyota. The Proto has been prepared in Europe for the Kingdom’s premier off-road event. “In fact, Hail Baja is my one-off return to rallying, because I have received the one-off authorization from the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF) to enter the three-day opening round of the 2010 FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas,” says Jeddah-based Bakhashab, the Kingdom’s most successful rally driver. “It’s the generosity of Hail Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdul Mohsen, who is also the president of the supreme Commission of Hail development and head of the Supreme Commission of the Hail Rally, that I am competing now.”

“It has been my desire to return and participate in such a great event organized in my country, especially when Hail has become a round of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Cross-Country Rally World Cup. In fact, I have been nurturing the idea of ending my retirement in the last few years, but my membership of the Saudi Motorsport Federation came in the way. It was only when the federation gave me the green signal that I chose to take part in the Hail Rally 2010.”

The rally kicked off in Hail on Feb. 16. Bakhashab has teamed with Northern Ireland’s Bobby Willis for the first time since retiring form the sport after the 2003 Rally of Lebanon. Willis is a rally cartographer and works for the Volkswagen Motorsport team in the FIA World Cup and Dakar Rally. Qatar’s Sheikh Hamed bin Eid Al-Thani is also one of the 37 drivers who had registered to tackle the event. “I’m competing to win. I want Bobby to give a good run,” says Bakhashab.

Bakhashab spent a few days in nearby Bahra to test his rally skills two and a half months ago and again just before the rally. “I have worked hard and feel fit, and am sure my old skills will work once again to make a mark in the Hail Rally. I am putting life into this rally and want to make it interesting for all,” says Bakhashab who since his retirement has taken to motorsport development and organizing rallies in this part of the world.

There is a big boom in rallies across the world. The reason is there is a shift from government support to such events to the private sector, like what is happening in the Kingdom. ALJ-Toyota and APSCO-Mobil 1 are among those who sponsor and promote rallies here, says Bakhashab who made his entry into the rally world with the Ulster Rally in Northern Ireland in 1992.

Bakhashab has also taken a big initiative in running a school for producing rally drivers from among budding talents. According to him, Majed Alghamdi, a 2002 school product, has set an example for all young drivers here. He is still an active and promising driver. Ala Kayyal is another school product who did well in the past, but now out of circulation. Saeed Al-Hajri and Muhammad bin Sulaiman are among the other local promising talents. Al-Hajri is the winner of one of the previous Middle East rally championships. There is no age barrier for participating in competitive rallies. “Look at Carlos Sainz Cenamor, the 46 year old Spanish rally driver. Carlos has been one other inspiration for me.” Carlos is the winner of the World Rally Championship drivers’ title.

Bakhashab, who owns a couple of media and marketing related companies, and heads a couple of other enterprises involved in recreation and entertainment activities, and mass communications as their chairman and CEO, is actively associated with charitable and social service institutions. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from King Abdul Aziz University. He has four children including two sons. “Muhammad is 10 and Hamza 7. “They are still too young to decide whether they will follow my footsteps. Of course, they are keenly interested in racing.”